Marines: Osprey sparks grass fire at N.C. bomb range

Jun. 21, 2013 - 03:29PM
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — The Marine Corps says an Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft sparked a grass fire at a North Carolina bombing range, resulting in minor damage.

The MV-22 Osprey can take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane.

The spokesman for Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point said Friday the aircraft’s very hot exhaust ignited the grass fire while it was either taking off or landing. Spokesman Mike Barton says the aircraft may have been slightly scorched, but did not catch fire and was not badly damaged. No injuries were reported.

Barton says the Osprey was on a training mission at a Dare County bombing range used by Navy and Air Force aircraft.

A spokeswoman at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base had no immediate information.